Professionals as an Implementation Barrier to Change in Public Organisations: Political and Identity Perspectives
International Journal of Leadership in Public Services
ISSN: 1747-9886
Article publication date: 1 December 2008
Abstract
Professionals are often seen as an implementation barrier to change in public organisations. Although their commitment is judged to be crucial, they often behave rather reservedly and may even oppose change. The power models and micro‐political theories of change both conceptualise this resistance as a defence of their professional interests, their benefits and their power status. Acknowledging that political strategies, tactics and games played have a crucial role in the implement of change in public organisations, this paper expands this perspective by dealing with issues related to professional identity. Identity‐related conflicts often go beyond the issues of protecting and enhancing benefits and power. Therefore, this paper focuses on the central characteristics of identity and examines the identity‐related aspects of the political perspective of change management.
Keywords
Citation
Fassauer, G. and Schirmer, F. (2008), "Professionals as an Implementation Barrier to Change in Public Organisations: Political and Identity Perspectives", International Journal of Leadership in Public Services, Vol. 4 No. 4, pp. 11-23. https://doi.org/10.1108/17479886200800033
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2008, Emerald Group Publishing Limited